Blog

28 Jan 2021

A spotlight on wetland wildlife - January 2021

We’re back with our first reserve roundup of 2021 and we find ourselves well and truly in the middle of winter. If you've missed our reserves, here's your chance to enjoy some winter wildlife virtually. ...

20 Dec 2020

A spotlight on wetland wildlife - December Christmas Special

Join us for the final reserves roundup of 2020, where we hear updates on what's going on at WWT's 10 sites with a festive twist. ...

18 Dec 2020

Marvellous murmurations: why do birds flock together?

Flocking birds are iconic sights in winter wetlands, when a group of birds come together in large numbers in flight or to forage. But why do they do it? We take a look at the bird behaviour behind flocking. ...

04 Dec 2020

Swanfall after a slow start to 2020

Kane Brides and Steve Heaven update us on the - much later than expected, but nonetheless extremely welcome - influx of Bewick's swans to the UK this winter. ...

03 Dec 2020

A spotlight on wetland wildlife - November 2020

Our latest reserve roundup is here. Birds that have migrated to our wetlands are settling in for the winter as the temperatures drop. ...

01 Dec 2020

Wetlands throughout the seasons: winter

As the temperature drops, our wetland world is transformed. While much of the world slows down, winter wetlands come alive with their own special beauty. Find out more about the sights and sounds of wetlands in winter. ...

03 Nov 2020

A spotlight on wetland wildlife - October 2020

Join us on another journey around our reserves looking back on the migratory month of October. Thousands of waterbirds are arriving on our wetlands for the winter, some all the way from arctic Russia...

02 Nov 2020

Migrations series: incredible bird migration destinations to mind-travel to

Migration is one of the biggest events in a bird’s life, and many rely on wetlands to get them home. From well-known wildlife destinations to more modest, muddy wetlands, here are just some of the world’s most important migration stopover sites...

30 Oct 2020

What lies beneath: monsters of the marsh – myths and realities

We’ve sifted through the murky depths of wetlands’ worst to assemble a horror cast of bone-chilling, boggy beasts. Real or not, this line-up is the stuff of nightmares. We dare you to dive below to find out more. Please paddle carefully...

28 Oct 2020

Wetland Warriors: Tadpole shrimp and tardigrades

There are two wetland animals that are unparalleled in their ability to survive whatever is thrown at them; extreme radiation, the vacuum of space… Being microwaved. Yes, it's the unassumingly named water bears and tadpole shrimp. ...

06 Oct 2020

Migrations series: Which birds are arriving in the UK in autumn?

Lively, noisy and often spectacular, winter migratory birds are a welcome sight as the nights draw in, bringing new life to the landscape. Here are a few common migratory species to welcome back...

05 Oct 2020

A sanctuary for nature, and for you: explore the UK this autumn

As the weather changes and the temperatures drop, wildlife heads to the nearest wetland. Here birds and animals find a welcome retreat to spend the winter. Take a leaf out of nature’s book and explore one of our wetland centres this autumn. ...

07 Aug 2020

Your window on wetland wildlife - July 2020

Welcome to another roundup of all the latest action on WWT reserves in July. ...

23 Jul 2020

How wetlands can help us and wildlife in hot weather

Every time a heatwave hits, our wetlands become inundated with people and wildlife. Find out more about how wetlands help wildlife deal with extreme hot weather, and how we look after them on our reserves. ...

21 Jul 2020

Flying the nest: how we help birds fledge

When young birds have developed their flight muscles and adult flight feathers, they start to leave their parents and the nest; this is known as ‘fledging’. There are a number of ways we can help young, vulnerable birds to fledge...